Birth Injury Case Evaluation
Children with unavoidable birth injuries are faced with astronomical medical bills, difficult therapies and permanent disabilities. Medical malpractice claims can help to alleviate financial burdens and offer justice.
To win the claim attorneys must prove that doctors or hospitals did not follow accepted standards of care in labor and delivery. This is usually done through an in-depth review of medical records or expert witness testimony.
Cerebral palsy
Cerebral Palsy, also known as cerebral palsy is a permanent disability resulted from an injury to the central nervous system. It can occur during pregnancy (perinatal) or during the early years of childhood. It affects a broad range of body movements. It may be mild, moderate or even severe in intensity. The symptoms of the condition change with age, but it's not progressive.
It isn't a medical condition that can be evaluated, unlike many others. However, a thorough and comprehensive evaluation will help medical professionals determine whether or not a child's condition is due to cerebral palsy. This includes a complete neurological and mobility assessment.
The evaluations will examine the child's muscle tone, posture and balance, reflexes, ability to move, and other factors that impact a child's movement. Musculoskeletal examinations can reveal problems like hip dislocations, scoliosis or contractures. A speech and language test will also show the child's intellectual development as well as their ability to produce speech sounds.
Cerebral Palsy is diagnosed using neuroimaging which allows doctors to see the brain in a detailed manner. This is a noninvasive way to assess the extent of brain injury. It doesn't allow doctors to predict the effects of the injury on a child’s symptoms.
In some instances, a diagnosis of cerebral palsy is not able to be established until the child is at least a year old, since symptoms may fluctuate during this period. The classification of a condition in terms of severity, topographical location, and muscle tone could be useful in determining the degree of impairment and influencing treatment.
Physical and occupational therapy are the most effective treatment options for Cerebral Palsy. These therapies can increase the mobility of children and decrease their chance of developing joint deformities, such as scoliosis. In addition, speech therapy and the use of adaptive equipment can assist with the child's daily living activities and allow him or her to be more social with family members and others. There are a variety of financial aid options available depending on the circumstances surrounding the child's health. There are also charitable organizations and foundations that can help pay for treatment and medical care.
Brachial Plexus Injuries
A brachial-plexus injury is the result of an injury to the five nerves that branch off from the spinal cord in the neck and transmit signals from the spinal cord to the arm, shoulder and hand. There is a brachial plexus on each side of the body. Some infants who suffer from brachial-plexus injuries will heal without treatment, but most will benefit from physical and occupational therapy. A smaller group of babies might require surgical intervention to achieve good results.
A baby with an injury to the brachial area can be diagnosed by their primary physician according to their medical history and physical exam. Doctors can request special imaging tests, such as an MRI, CT scan or nerve conduction studies, however these tests are less reliable for babies. Doctors can measure the strength and range of motion of a infant's arms by doing gentle exercises to increase range of motion. This allows them to track the progress over time.
The symptoms of a brachial the plexus injury can vary based on the severity of the injury and which nerves are affected. The signs include a weak arm and reduced muscle movement and decreased sensation in the hand. Symptoms usually affect only one side of the body. However, occasionally both sides may be affected.
The most frequent cause is Neonatal Brachial Plexus Palsy (NBPP) however, it can also be caused by other causes. Brachial plexus injuries are more frequent in large babies, those who are born in a breech position, or are pulled during birth. This kind of injury can also occur in athletes who play contact sports, like football, and from blunt trauma.
NBPP can be identified at an early age, usually within six to eight weeks of birth. Most children will recover without intervention, but those that are not able to improve by the end of one month should be assessed by a team who can manage the condition. These teams are typically made comprising a pediatric orthopedist as well as a physiatrist, and a physical therapist.
Erb's Palsy
The brachial (brake-ee-al) plexus is a nerve group that run from the spinal cord to the shoulder and then down the arm and into the hand. If this nerve system is damaged during delivery, it may cause weakness or paralysis of the affected arm. Erb's Palsy is the most frequent type. It is caused by a significant stretching or tear of the upper brachial nerves in the birth.
A doctor can diagnose Erb palsy through a physical exam of the infant's hand. The health professional will look for a lack of movement in the affected arm, a weak wrist, and a deficiency of Moro reflex (the infant's involuntary reaction to a loss of head support). The health care professional could also recommend an imaging or nerve test such as an X-ray, an electromyogram or ultrasound, or a study of nerve conduction.
In many cases, Erb’s palsy is caused when an untrained clinician applies too much lateral pressure to the infant during the forceps delivery. This kind of traction could be reduced by having the second stage of labor be shorter or by placing the mother on her back for part of the delivery. A doctor can also help reduce the chance of this kind of injury by delivering by C-section.
Several other kinds of brachial plexus injuries may occur in addition to Erb's palsy. Klumpke palsy is a more serious type of this condition, which causes damage to the lower brachial plexus nerves. This kind of injury could be referred to as "waiter's tips" because the limb is hung down to the side, rotated to the medially and pronated. It is also flexed, extended and extended at the wrist.
If your child is diagnosed with one of these conditions it is crucial to consult an attorney for medical malpractice immediately. Beth has more than 18 years of specialized experience in labor and delivery, and can help determine whether your child's doctor was negligent and may have led to these avoidable injuries.
Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy
Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE), also known as hypoxic brain damage, happens when a birth defect decreases the oxygen and blood supply to the newborn. HIE is a serious brain condition that could lead to permanent brain damage. The effects of HIE can vary from mild to extreme, and they usually begin within a few weeks after birth. HIE is a condition that belongs to a larger group of birth-related injuries referred to as neonatal encephalopathy.
A baby can develop HIE due to complications during labor and delivery, such as excessive bleeding in the mother's blood vessels as well as a breech birth, a prolonged labor and delivery or forceps delivery. The baby's birth weight is low and could be the cause of HIE.
To diagnose HIE in infants, doctors examine the infant's APGAR score and any indications of neurological impairment. A low APGAR score may indicate a need for immediate medical intervention. Doctors may also use tests on blood to determine the level of acid in the umbilical artery, which could indicate that a baby has suffered from an oxygen deficit or decreased blood flow to the brain.
If veteran birth injury lawyer is suspected to have HIE, doctors will often try to combat it with the treatment known as therapeutic hypothermia. In this procedure, the child is placed under a cooling blanket, and a medication is administered to aid in their sleep. During the cooling process, doctors monitor the heart rate, breathing state and body temperature, in addition to brain activity.
Once a baby has been fully restored to its original temperature then a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan will be conducted. MRIs are the best way to identify HIE and the pattern of its injury. The results of an MRI can sometimes show an injury time-frame which is useful in determining whether the child's symptoms may be caused by HIE.
After a HIE diagnosis infants will need to be monitored closely throughout their lives. They'll visit a neonatologist and neurologist, and could receive physical, speech and occupational therapy to help them deal with their symptoms. The goal is to get these children as healthy as they can and assist them in reaching their full potential.